News

Cone Zone season is upon us. Hundreds of roadside work zones will be set up around British Columbia this summer. Thousands of drivers will travel through these “Cone Zones” meaning roadside workers are at greater risk of being injured or killed by a motor vehicle.
Roadside work is a dangerous job. Between 2008 and 2017, 12 roadside workers were killed and 218 were injured and missed time from work as a result of being hit by a motor vehicle.

The North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week is an annual, continent-wide event where employers, employees and stakeholders in occupational health and safety (OHS) collaborate to promote injury and illness prevention in the workplace. This year, NAOSH Week is May 6-12, 2018.

Struggling to hire local service supervisors, managers or other specialized service occupations (e.g. Chefs, Cooks, Bakers, Executive Housekeepers, F&B Supervisors, F&B Managers, etc.)? If so, the Mobilité Francophone stream of the International Mobility program may be of interest to you.

Further to the announcement on February 8 about the revision of general minimum wage in the province, Minister of Labour Harry Bains announced today the revision of minimum wages for five additional worker groups. These include liquor servers, who will see their wages rise incrementally starting June 1, 2018 to reach at least $15.20 per hour by 2021.
The minimum wage for liquor servers currently stands at $10.10 per hour, with the following schedule of increases:

The amendments will allow mothers to start their pregnancy leave, also known as maternity leave, as early as 13 weeks before the expected birth date, up from the current 11 weeks. New parents will also have the option to take a longer unpaid parental leave to care for their new child — resulting in a total of up to 18 months of leave for birth mothers.

Update: The Workforce Training Stream has closed as of April 16 due to high volume, having reached subscription targets for intake 1. Intake 2 will begin accepting applications on June 1, 2018.
Canada-BC Job Grant funding is available for training commencing April 4 through August 31, 2018, with applications being accepted starting April 9. Total funding available for this fiscal year is $8 million.

Held in Kelowna on March 15, this all-day event hosted thirty tourism employers from around the region and attracted over 250 job seekers, many seeking permanent and seasonal work.
The event featured a virtual reality booth, Sun FM airing live on-location, and a live stage where job seekers gained insights into local tourism careers and watched demonstrations including:

Commercial kitchens, from small cafes to large-scale hotel operations, are fast-paced environments with many hazards. As an employer, it’s your responsibility to make sure your workers are trained and know how to carry out all aspects of their job correctly. Whether it’s a new worker who has little experience in a kitchen, or an experienced worker who is using new equipment, investing in health and safety helps to keep them safe, keeps other workers safe, and keeps your business running smoothly.